Not An Easy Task
by Of Leaves And Branches
Summary: Sarah's grown and is teaching at a high school. Enter Obsessive Goblin King intent on taking what's his, showing up at school and threatening her students. Does this story take a dark or a humorous tone?
1. He Watches

In a small apartment room; a sleeping figure lay tousled beneath the sheets. The wind breezes gently through the open window and the first ray of sunlight kisses her face and stirs her. Her eyes flutter open, a jewel of emerald green. Her hazy eyes searches for the digital clock to tell her what time it is. 6:59 the red led lights blink back at her. "Oh, it's almost time." she groans pulling the pillow and shielding her face from the bright rays that hit her. "It can't be time yet… I wish..." she mumbles incoherently into the pillow. A wish: suddenly the sunlight withdraws and the clock, the digital numbers count backward and she falls back into sleep.

"I'm late!" Sarah Williams suddenly throws back the blanket and looks at the watch on her bedside table. It reads 6:31. 'That's strange' she wonders. Didn't she wake up earlier and fell back asleep... She swears she overslept, last night going through and grading her students' papers she had slept late. And yet she felt quite rested; well rested. She scrambles to her window, she had left it open?

Looking out through the small window of her bedroom she notes the sun, it hasn't been long since it had risen and that cut out the possibilities that her watch may be at fault. "Well, I'm up a bit early, all right! Better get ready. It's going to be a long day miss Williams." Sarah snorted; talking to herself made her question her sanity. Though a lot of things had happened to her that could make anyone question hers.. if only they knew what she has seen.. Nope nope nopity nope.. I'm not going to think about that.. Dream. Sarah shook her head and headed to the bathroom.

Taking her time to brew her coffee while reading a book and making faces that reflected the mood of the characters of which she was reading about while her cat purred and rubbed her ankles was definitely Sarah. And as she grabbed her jacket, locked her apartment and ran down the stairwell and got to her car chanting "late, late late… ". He watched intently through the clear glass of the crystal bauble that he held. The cretins crowded at his feet for attention yet he kept his attention to the figure in the crystal. "Reckless isn't she?" he smirked as she drove off 'and he had reordered time for her'. He sighed and then kicked one of the goblins that had started to get too close for his liking.

At school.

"okay, so here are your papers, each of you have been graded according to your perception of the reading assignment and most of you have done exceptionally good, as for those who got an "F", you'll have to stay back during lunch and take another reading assignment." There were a few groans and Sarah smiled. "That's what you get for not taking the assignment seriously, Matthew." She turned to one particular kid who groaned louder than necessary.

"It's Matt, miss Williams, but do we have to do reading assignments? We're just kids, we should be having fun ya know". A kid with greasy hair smiled sheepishly at her. Some murmur at the back seemed to agree with him.

"It's a part of learning, the book was an abridged version of the water babies, you'll have to deal with more complex forms of literature as you go higher up the education ladder so Sock it in and take it like a man!" the class giggled. "So MATT," she paused, "I'll give you the liberty to choose your own reading assignment." It was her turn to smile sheepishly; Matt gulped inconspicuously. " from any of Shakespeare's original work, submit your opinions on it in a form of an essay which can exceed as many pages as you want but is only limited to a minimum of ten pages."

" TEN?! It's not fair" he groaned.

Miss Williams smiled at the familiarity of those words. "No it's not; therefore all of your "F" posse can take the same assignment." The few of them groaned helplessly while the others' giggled. "You can come to me anytime for assistance."

Miss Williams can be diabolical. No, cruel.

She smiled and turned to the board on the wall "All right, everyone turn to page… "

Outside the classroom, a snowy white owl perched on a branch observing the happenings inside the classroom.


	2. The Wheels set in motion

Another long day, the clock already struck 3 o'clock and class hours were officially over. Sarah walked into the faculty lounge and plopped herself over the couch right next to the potted plant, she usually preferred this spot over her desk which had stacks of papers and assignments that needed reviewing, which reminded her of all the work she had pending. The plant had become a friend and the couch, an utmost necessity. She inclined herself over the couch and picked up the book she had been reading; the one that she conveniently carries everywhere she goes and buries her small nose in it. She had promised the kids she'd be available in case they needed her and she was going to stick around for a while, even though most of the faculty had gone home.

She was so engrossed when suddenly with the flip of another page she realised that a tall figure stood next to her, jumping at her realisation he offered her a diminutive smile.

"Harry," Sarah tried to hide her annoyance at being interrupted with a bigger smile, failing miserably "What are you doing?"

"You just looked so serene." That wasn't unsettling at all.

"Oh," she then sat upright, straightening her back and retreating from her relaxed disposition, "Can I... Can I help you with something?" Unsure how she was to react, she decided staring him down was the wisest course of action.

He smiled unhesitant this time, "Would you want to grab some coffee with me?"

"No." She smiled back "I'm far too busy with work." gesturing her hands toward the door that lead to the staff room where her table was, standing up briskly she walked past him and headed towards the door.

On reaching her table and the piles of paperwork stacked upon it, she turned back to look back at the door, thankful he hadn't followed her. Harry was a nice guy but he was unsettling, evidently every guy that approached her was. She sighed and decided to wrap up her work and get going as it was evident none of her "devoted" students were going to show up. As she reached for the books at the edge of the table, she knocked off an object that rolled to the ground. Startled she looked on the apple that rolled and now halted to a stop a few feet from her.

* * *

His colleague Sarah Williams; in her mid-twenties, pretty and intelligent, was everything he wanted in a woman. Harry Harris couldn't get why she would refuse him every single time, he assumed he was easy enough on the eyes, he was well settled and a potential family man so why not? He watched her as she briskly walked toward the door and disappeared into the other room. He considered following her but figured she wouldn't welcome the endeavor so he walked out the other door dejected. He fumbled for the keys in his pocket as he got out the building and towards his car.

She intrigued him, she was mysterious and kind and he felt like he knew her, he knew she wasn't as heartless as she pretended to be and maybe one day... He smiled at that thought, looking at the keys in his hand "When will you be mine Sarah?"

"Apparently, Never." A crisp voice responded.

He had barely looked up when he heard a flutter of fabric. And that's all he heard before everything went black.

* * *

He stood high upon the battle field, blood drenched cloak fluttering behind him. Another war won, the Goblin king was a powerful ally and in exchange of a gift they gained his aid. The warriors of the Druids realm looked upon their high king, the Maughn enemy laid waste in the vast planes of the battlefield.

The Druid King was old, his magic waned and the enemy was brutal and they didn't have any chance of winning, it was then that they had to resort to using the ancient forbidden rites to call upon an ancient entity and strike a deal. Protection and victory in exchange for a price. He had answered their call.

The king approaches the Mythical king with the emissary and the warriors that were to protect their king. They were clearly apprehensive to approach the Creature that looked like a man yet was different.

The Emissary had hardly begun to say something when The Goblin king sharply turned towards them and gestured his arm to silence him, "Won't the King speak for himself? for his people?" He spoke in a crispy accent, clearly amused by the disconcert of the party that had approached him.

The aged King relents, His frail arm reached towards him and he spoke, "The deal was made and you've kept your end of the bargain, you may name your price. I have daughters a many, a queen will serve you well."

"I came to your aid even though I was indisposed to do so, and in return you offer me a bride? I could steal away one easily if and when I wish but.."

"It is not what you want," the King continues "So what Is it you require?"

"You know me well enough to complete my speech for me; surely you know what I want?" He drawled. "The spell; to travel to the mortal world without summons and without restrictions, requires an ingredient"

The king draws an elongated breadth.

"I know you have it, Asflhiem Son of Augur, Your father was the very being that perfected the spell. The deal was made," There's a glint in his eyes then "You wouldn't refuse me now would you?"

The threat puts the warriors escorting the king on edge; one of them reaches for the sword hilt. There is a swift breeze and suddenly that very warrior is cut down into two.

"Deny me what's mine?" The goblin king says calmly while pointing his gauntlet hand, palms up and now wet with freshly drawn blood.

The old King halts his hand out "No more blood," he sounded defeated, "The Mylfir is yours."

With that the Goblin King smiles a cold smile.


	3. Oblivious

The next day; Sarah is all yawns and tousled hair, cradling a cup of coffee. A tall thin blonde woman wearing stilettoes and heavy make-up approaches the Coffee machine that Sarah's standing next to.

"Oh Sarah honey! You look worse for the wear," She cackles " you should really not overwork yourself, are those dark circles? My sweetheart you're barely thirty and you look.." The Thin blonde, Lorri Harris continues her mindless chatter. "…And have you seen Mrs Wolfshiem in her cardigan…."

Sarah tries really hard to tune out the noise the woman in front of her was expending, another late night exertion had taken a toll on her and this morning wasn't one of the days where she awoke well rested and fully replenished like some other days.

"Sarah, Sa-rah?" the older woman is looking at her now, "huh?" Sarah tries to snap out of her dazed expression and tries schooling her face into a smile, "Say what again? Were you even listening? Oh I swear…" She tunes it out again, sipping her coffee and nodding at certain intervals to seem like she's actually listening.

"So, what about you? Anything new with you?" Lorri asks rather expectantly.

Sarah winces at that, recalling her awkward and uncomfortable confrontation with Harry who just happened to be Lorri's cousin. She was sure Harry might have mentioned it to his nosey cousin and determined to get her off topic quickly replies, "Yeah, an apple."

"An Apple?" Lorri seemed confused and by the way her expressive eyebrows creases in together she expects a more elaborate explanation.

"There was an apple on my desk, somebody placed it there, you wouldn't know anything about it would you?" Sarah asks, hoping to get steer Lorri away from any impending topics of Harry and also to pursue the question of who may have left an apple on her table.

"How can you be sure it was left for you hun? Everyone knows about you and your aversion to fruits, I remember you dashing away the last time someone offered you a basket of fruit" she laughs, "Somebody could've just forgotten it there, It's the season and I think Some of the new guys bring apple for lunch, Zykes's Table is next to yours and he has been known to be a devout vegetarian, maybe he wants to convince….."

Sarah sighs and before Lorri could continue any further she looks at her watch and cuts her short, "Time for class, Sorry Lorri. I'll see you later." She smiles and walks away briskly, she should've known asking Lorri was futile and she knew the apple was definitely for her, the note on her table said so.

Looking at the quiet sea of calm that was her class, Sarah mentally pats herself for quick thinking on her part to give her class a pop quiz. The students however are less accommodating to it; the dour expression on their faces says it all.

She convincing herself that this act of her is for the general good, this would help her students; a pop quiz was due and she won't have to deal with the mindless banter of her responsive class- Her head hurt so much she couldn't take any noise, she smacks herself inwardly for not taking a day off.

As the clock ticks by, Sarah notices a hand raised up ever so slowly from the back of the class, Sarah knows who the arm belongs to and is reluctant to response. Taking the lack of reaction as the teacher not noticing him, Matt started to wave his hand vigorously. Now no longer able to ignore him Sarah groans inwardly.

"What is it Matthew?"

"Miss Sarah? Why are your shoes different?"

"Huh?"

"Your shoes, you have a different pair on each foot?"

The class starts laughing and when she looks down on her feet, two mismatched shoes were staring back at her. Sarah groans again, this time louder.

At the end of the quiz, the students' hands in their paper with broad smiles, some even still giggling, Sarah knew a load of them did terrible in their tests but they were more than cheerful. As Matt turned in his paper, he smiles cheekily at her and runs off. Sarah looks at his paper and sees a Sketch of her on it.

She stacks up the papers and leaves. A cup of coffee and a change of footwear were on her agenda.

The class 1-C, the day for the students continues on normally, uneventful. It's only during the physics class that the strange thing happened.

First the teacher was very late. The teacher turned out to be someone other than the usual Mr Harry Harris. The teacher had an unusual appearance, the girls cooed that he looked like a rock star; the guys had to admit he had a certain air and everyone agreed His pants looked uncomfortably tight.


	4. Shoe to meet you too

What do people know about a mythical king that was supposed to exists only in stories, stories long forgotten; buried by the ashes of time and even when unearthed would seem no more than a children's fairy tale. Well, for one thing people won't expect the said mythical creature to be teaching a bunch of insufferable high school children- least of all imagine that he'd be taking a subject that his very existence negates: Physics.

Now, the Students weren't exactly ready to follow the peculiarity of the presence of this new substitute teacher. The class bursts into whispers, and a few of them raises their brow. The new teacher is different; he has an air about him, with his tight pants and knee high boots and the collared up shirt and fancy vest, his long blond hair tied up behind he should look odd but he blends in perfectly. The students are the ones feeling a little bit underdressed.

He walks into the room waving the small teacher handbook and lazily leans over the table with one arm supporting his weight, he looks around the room noting everything he sees through keen perfectly framed eyes, he then pauses his gaze on to the white board. Large letters sprawled over the board says "pop quiz". He turns sharply towards the students and smirks, which gets the girls up in the front row melting.

"Hello children." His crisp voice cuts through the air and if his smirk had left a few girls with butterflies in the stomach, this wrecks up a whole storm.

He flips through the pages of the physics handbook and raises his brow. He then saunters to the back of the class wordlessly, hands clasped behind his back while tapping his index finger over the book in his hand. The class is quiet and inconspicuously follows his movements; some of them are set on edge and doesn't dare to look back at him, even though he's not particularly staring at anyone.

"The law of physics," he drawls out the last word longer than necessary "dictates that force equals mass time acceleration."

"Newton's law of motion... A body in motion…. hmm interesting…" He starts flipping the pages more interested in the contents than paying attention to the students.

The kids exchanges looks with each other. The students have never been more confused.

* * *

Sarah's about ready to go home, being finished with her classes for the day. She had Detention duty today, and she was the last one to be going home again. She wonders why Matt and his posse weren't at detention, in fact none of them were. Maybe her class didn't cause trouble today; the thought was new and pleasing, she smiles while gathering the pile of pop quiz papers from her desk. She looks at her feet, she'd put on a pair of sneakers. She had borrowed an extra pair of gym shoes from Coach Pico during lunch as she soon found out mismatched shoes were very distracting to both her students and her. She then reaches for her mismatched pair under the table.

She gets her shoes from under her table suddenly Sarah hears a thumping running sound and someone stumbling towards the room she's in, she tightens her hold on her shoes, a pair in each hand and as she turns, she sees a figure running towards her. It takes a split second for Sarah to throw one of her shoes at the figure that had entered the room and another split second to realise that the face that the shoe hit belonged to a student of hers. The kid on being hit in the face trips on the waste bin that was coincidentally hazardously placed near one of the other faculty's table and crashes on to the floor a measly feet from her. Sarah is now near panicking, she bends down to her knees and reaches to check the students pulse, suddenly the kid jerks his head up and Sarah falls back startled. "Are you okay Tony?" Sarah Gets up and reaches for the boy again. The boy is shaking and is out of breath, "Tony, what happened?" Sarah asks worried, maybe the kid is being bullied again. Tony was always picked on by Matt and his group of friends.

"Sarah Williams.." Tony exhales and looks at her while clinging on to either of Sarah's sleeves, ".. He.. Get Sarah Williams.." Sarah now worried waits for him to finish his sentence.

"The class.. trouble.." Tony is about to say more but it doesn't happen, the kid was moving his mouth but no sound was coming out except ragged breadth. Sarah creases her brow and then walks fast out towards the door, "Stay here!" She shouts back at Tony and heads straight towards her class, class 1-c.

As she entered the class, she finds it empty. She enters the class and does a quick scan towards all the corners, when the lights start blinking. Sarah goes towards the switchboard and flicks the switches but it doesn't help. All of a sudden the lights go completely dark, then it comes back on and when she turns around, a pair of mismatched eyes stare back at her and a certain Goblin King stands in front of her.

"Nice to see you too, precious." He smiles, smirks.

Sarah's first instinct is to run; she would've screamed had her vocal chords decided not to freeze at that moment. She makes a break for the door but he's too quick, he's already at door.

"Trying to leave so early?" he asks casually. Like nothing's wrong or out of the ordinary la di la.

Sarah backs off towards the wall and he follows suit moving towards her, smiling all the while as he does so. He's about two feet closer to her now and much further away from the door now Sarah notes. Manoeuvring to her right she runs as quickly towards the door. The goblin king looks amused as he reaches for her arm or waist, she's not sure as she dodges and throws the other pair of her mismatched shoe that she was still clinging to at him and makes a break for it.

She almost stumbles out the door and swears under her breath. She runs terrified of the being that she just escaped from and somehow impressed that she made another hit in the face with a shoe. But it's going to cost her; she knows that, so does he as he smiles while staring at the shoe now in his hand.

* * *

**N/A This chapter was hard to get out, it was in my head but I couldn't frame it and this is what came out. I'm going to start hunting for a beta now, suggestions welcomed. Do review! I'd really like your inputs to keep the story going. I hope you enjoy this chapter :)**


	5. Anticipation

The janitors' closet is never exactly the safest place to hide, if there's anything one could learn from movies and fictional works that involves hiding in a small closeted space. Whether it be lovebirds sneaking around to be naughty or a particularly attractive victim on the run from a masked intruder wielding a giant cleaver and wearing a badass suit or just raggedy blue janitor jumpsuit, they will be discovered. Dragged along by their feet or just plain spliced up on spot.

But Sarah wasn't an avid movie watcher and she didn't know the rules of the chase. However she had found comfort in backing herself up to the far end of the wall (which was roughly 2 feet away from the door) and staring at the narrow plywood door anticipating it to burst into shards, holding on to the hope that that small wooden barrier would be enough to keep an all-powerful-make-up wearing- tights wearing king at bay.

Sarah drawing ragged breaths could feel the sweat trailing down the back of her neck. Running like a wild buck that had been tased at its rear, She had made a winning dash that could put her school's running track to shame, but damn, was she tired. Exhausted and worn out her head was swimming with questions. 'Why? How and What? ' s were doing synchronised swimming in her head with little to no amount of synchronisation.

The goblin king, the labyrinth was just a dream was it not? She remembered all the events with vivid details but that was it, she had put it off as a Very, with a capital V, vivid dream. She had woken up the morning after the celebration with Hoggle, Ludo, Didymus and her friends to find her room empty. There were no traces or anything to prove the Labyrinth had even happened at all. She had tried to call out to her magical friends over the mirror but there were only several times before chanting weird names into reflective objects started to feel silly, especially when the only thing staring back at you was your face with red rimmed eyes and a frown. Her parents had gotten her to the door of a psychiatrist and that was it, the Labyrinth had to go into the marked box titled "I'm Not Crazy" . Toby had grown fine to a very annoying normal 10 year old and had no account of It either.

She had to figure out why now? Why was he here and What did the goblin King want?. The questions would have to wait, She would do her research and investigation on her diary and the internet later but before that she had to escape, she notes while looking down at the crisp white sneakers on her feet that she had borrowed from the physical edu department.

Slowly reaching out to the door Sarah leaned in and pressed her ear to the door, there was nothing, no sound. Considering it safe she decides to leave the confines of the welcoming comfort and safety of the Janitor's closet. She looking around in the closet for a weapon grabs a very sinister looking mop, because a bucket won't look very intimidating. She could see the toolbox on the upper shelf but she couldn't reach it without risking falling off and causing a racket so she decided to go with the wooden mop.

Slowly opening the door with dread, she peeks out of the door and finding the hallway empty slithers out the doorframe with as much stealth as possible, it lasts for an insufferable second before she breaks into a run.

Sarah knows she'll get out of this, she survived the Goblin King the last time and she will do it again.

"He has no power over me." She whispers those words to herself as she hides behind a giant leafy potted plant by the corner of the last turn of the hallway. She would get Tony and then make a run for her car and get help while avoiding the Goblin king; that was the plan.

* * *

The Goblin King was twisted, it was because he had existed for so long that he defied conventional thinking. Maybe this was the reason why he found Sarah plastered on the wall in the small confinement adorable. Like finding a kitten sheltering itself from the rain in a small turned down cardboard box. The Goblin King isn't one for cute things but that's as close as to describing what the Goblin King may have felt while looking at the holed up mortal through his crystal.

Palmed in his hand, the shiny glass bauble showed his favourite mortal and here whereabouts. Reclined on the teachers' desk in the same room she left him in. He watches amused as she cautiously canters through the halls with her makeshift weapon. He let out a chuckle at the latter detail, she certainly never was dull.

His gaze flicker to the shoe placed besides him, and he smiles away.

The one or two goblins that had followed him into the realm looks on from the shadows at their ruler and pauses from squabbling over a half chewed up book of physics in awe. Their king had never looked happier.

"The game has begun my pretty.. Sa-rah" he whispers as he brings his crystal to his lips. Then he hears something emanating from the crystal, Her voice saying "… no power over me."

His face turns impassive and cold and the crystal shatters in his fists. The Goblins go silent and retreats further into the shadows if it's possible, one of them verbalizing a yelp. Nobody wanted to deal with the flippant attitude of a messed up king when he's mad, the goblins knew their king all too well and shattering crystals in his palms was a sign that indicated that either their ruler was pissed off or he was performing a magik trick to keep his subjects from causing a riot. The magic trick was usually accompanied by him singing and right at this moment there wasn't even a hint of a hum. They knew that the business the king had in here was of utmost importance, in fact everything their ruler does was; they would never question him.

"Keep them inside or I'll bog you." He commands towards the shadows and walks out the door.

They nod their head in agreement vigorously though their King isn't looking at them and draws a breath they were holding as his cape disappears out of sight and the door closes behind him.

* * *

**A/n Alright, this took me a while to write down. I've been getting reviews about how its hard for the readers to follow and i'm trying my best. Do review, I highly appreciate the support and dang! I need to get better at writing. Constructive criticism is welcomed. Thanks for the fun reviews you've left. So I hope you guys enjoy the story :) **


	6. The still still student

The plan was simple enough; she had replayed all the scenarios in her head. Just get the Boy and get the hell out. Her headache had started to buzz back in and it was starting to thump at a very rhythmic and catchy beat.

Muttering various creative curses under her breath, she kept her stiff body still and hid beside the potted plant. She could hear some patter of feet and some undiscernable noises from afar and that, she was sure belonged to those of goblins.

Sarah, as a teacher; as a probable role model for young adults won't usually swear so much but desperate times had come. Facing her old nemesis after years of believing he didn't exist had driven her to the ultimate state of foul mouthed-ness that she was swearing under her breadth repeatedly, half of them directed towards her therapist and the medication she had to put up with just to convince herself she dreamed up the Labyrinth and all its occupants. Such crass language if heard would probably bar her from teaching or coming within influential distance of any kid ever again.

She didn't want to encounter any goblin or their monarch, the latter had magical powers and glitter and you can never be sure if you can avoid the said monarch but the former could be avoided and overpowered, she reassured herself by gripping tight the weapon in her hand. She could laugh at the absurdity of the situation_, because if you see a hoard of leathery goblins come at you: You could just mop them away right?_

At best, she could be sneaky and avoid any unwanted encounters. She looked to and fro, right and left and then broke into another merciless run towards the office. Logic be damned, the Goblin King can pop out anywhere anytime, the faster the better.

She got into the office, thankfully without bumping into any critters or their sovereign lord. She could see Tony from the doorway. He was right where she left him; on the ground, facing away from her.

She halted her run, locked the door and walked fast to the adjoining room that the kid was in. She was about to start. "Tony.. Oh Shit NO!"

Tony had green ears. _Well F**k._

"So crude, Sa-rah." The disembodied voice came from everywhere and nowhere. Sarah pinpointed her gaze on a file cabinet almost accusingly; the voice certainly seemed to originate from one of the drawers. There was not a single doubt, the voice could only belong to one specific being.

"Looking for me?" He sounded disappointed.

She flipped her head towards her right and stared. He stood over in the far corner of the room with his hips strutted out and his hands just crossed over his chest. There was that damned smug smile of his, one corner of his mouth upturned and a slight glance of his teeth. Sarah supposed the smile could've been disarming but to her that was the _go_ signal for taking up a grenade and flinging it towards him.

"I was hoping not to find you." She bitted out almost immediately.

"You wound me precious." He mocked placed his hand over his chest and tilted his head almost predatorily.

Sarah winced at the generous display of his sharp teeth. They weren't so sharp before.

"Apparently, I don't do it enough." She replied as she moved closer to Tony who sat still as a statue, she got close to him and then poked him with the stick end of the mop. He didn't even budge.

The goblin king was looking at her intently, wholly quiet as she nudged the frozen boy yet again.

"What did you do with him?" Sarah asked with a frown, bending down and reaching for the boy's shoulder. The boy was frozen stiff and looked more like a wax figure.

"I have to say, not many people could pull off the cleaning serf look. The look is very becoming of you. " He stated wryly as he eyed the wooden accessory in her hand.

Sarah probably felt like Gandalf with the mop as her staff, she took it on her other hand and lowered it without letting go. She pointed the mopping end to the Goblin King and repeated her question, unaffected by the mocking.

"What is wrong with him? What did you do Jareth?"

At the sound of his name, he inhaled slowly. There was a glint in his eyes and he closed them in what looked like triumph. Sarah didn't let her gaze leave him as he went into that weird relapse, she was impatient, "Well?" she asked again.

At that, he refocused his attention to her and replied with a dismissal wave of hand "I was bored, need I explain?"

"Bored?!" repeated Sarah. Trying to keep herself calm, her head had started thundering again after a short relief and she was struggling to keep a straight face, everything had started to irk her; like the goblin king, her frozen student and the most unflattering gym sneakers she wore that felt tighter on her feet.

The Goblin king smiled a knowing smile at her and much to the annoyance of Sarah repeated, "Bored."

"Go back, turn him back to normal and go back." Sarah snapped at him, her brain had evidently given up logic and fear was defeated by the need to relieve herself off the throbbing headache.

"Tsk tsk… Such uncultured behaviour Sarah." He started, swaying his shadowy cloak hypnotically as he circled around the room gracefully. "… and you have been tasking yourself with educating these young human minds, how disquieting."

Sarah's lips thinned, He had walked to a close proximity of her and her stationary student, how she wished the kid would just pop out to his senses and run, run like the wind. That aside, the goblin king had just belittled her "You aren't here to evaluate my teaching efficiency are you? What do you want? "

"Always so rude, you keep on asking questions over questions. Maybe you should first apologise for that very unwelcoming greeting you gave me after being separated for so long," he pointed to his face, where Sarah had thrown a shoe at "that's not how we greet old friends."

"Did I look happy to see you at all Goblin king?" Sarah took a stand, something had changed about the air of the Goblin King. It would have been wiser to had backed down but Sarah wasn't someone to back down easily.

Was it stupidity or bravery to look into the eyes of a foe much powerful than you? Whatever it was, Sarah had it in extra doses. She lifted her chin up and stared intensely at him. The king's gaze softened. "I was glad to see you too, Sarah" He tilted his head and smiled, " However you're not asking the right questions?"

Sarah looked at him quizzically, "What do you mean?"

"Where are the rest of them?" He motioned his head towards the boy.

Sarah looked at the direction he motioned towards and was even more puzzled.

"Uh.. the rest of the fishes died and were flushed," Sarah answered cautiously and befuddled by the goblin king's sudden interest in the lonely fish in the office aquarium. Lenny had brought it in last week saying the fishes were magical and that the ambience of the work place would improve. But the fishes didn't survive long. There were five of them before now there was just one left. Maybe they hadn't looked after the fishes well; she couldn't remember ever feeding them.

"Not the pets Sarah." The king said pointedly snapping Sarah out of the reverie. This time, indicating his hand towards the Kid. He might as well have pointed bright neon signs towards the kid.

Sarah looked at the still still Tony, and then it dawned on her. Her heart started to beat erratically, and dread gripped her cold. This couldn't be. First Toby, now Tony and..

"My Students! Where.. what did you do?"

* * *

**Hah.. so right, I actually wanted their encounter to come off as a firecracker and stuff but I don't know what kind of stuff I wanted so I had to delay writing this. Sarah isn't as stupid as she seems, be warned there's a lot of badassery(Is that a word?) involved with her in the next chapters. Thanks a lot for the reviews guys ^^ It keeps me going! **


	7. Stupidity is Bravery

He watched her every reaction with unconcealed amusement. A smirk on his face and a slow tilt of his head. She was riled up yet she tried to maintained a cool and calm façade, though her body gave away everything. The way her chest heaved as her breathing became shallower, her red rimmed eyes and the way her lower lips trembled. He was fixated by how she had grown over the years. There was still an innocence in her that hadn't perished, She was still aflame with passion and her imagination was bright. Oh, how her eyes glistened in moments of despair. He looked away with frustration. Tempted and yet restrained from touching her, prevented from claiming her. He was annoyed by where his train of thoughts were leading him. How she turned his world.

"My children, where are they?" She rasped slowly raising her voice and gathering her composure with every word.

She had grown, he had watched her from afar and had waited for so long. He held her questioning eyes. Those same bright green eyes that had confronted him, cowered before him, fought him, and won over him.

"You've grown Sarah." He spoke evenly, baiting her.

Sarah clenched her hands and raised her head more defiantly. She was scared but she wouldn't cower before him. "Goblin King, you dare not have harmed them."

"Jumping into conclusions are we Sarah?" He drawled lazily lifting his gloved hand in a nonchalant gesture.

Sarah was about to retort when from seemingly out of nowhere Lights began to swirl around them ant the room was filled with a breeze of crystal bubbles flowing and floating around them. The pure crystal glass spheres floated around and reflected beautiful white light. It was a marvellous sight and Sarah felt her breath catch and she would've continued gawking had the situation been different. The Urgency of the matter hit her. Though she wasn't the best teacher out there with a coffee mug that spelled '_world's best teacher' _She cared for her students and knew her responsibility and shiny magic tricks from a flashy king wouldn't deter her from her objective.

She turned to him questioningly, still apprehensive and exasperated.

He flashed her a winning smile. He hadn't missed the small flicker of wonder that had passed her face when he called the enchantment.

"This is your answer" he purred.

Sarah was confused, "Is this another game of yours?"

"Do you remember what I brought you when we first met?"

"A snake." Sarah glared at him.

"Which turned out to be excellent silk scarves weaved from Mohria, that was just one of my generous gift."

_I've brought you a gift._

Sarah's eyes widened with realisation. She peered inside the closest floating bubble and there swirling within the images was a person running. One of her student Carrie was running from a dark shadow in the crystal mouthing what was evidently a scream. She reached out to grab it and it immediately retracted and swiftly made its way to the Goblin king's open palms.

"Her dream was to be a damsel in distress and be rescued by a prince. Pity nobody told her that maidens were in distresses for quite some time before they're rescued." He scoffed looking into the crystal.

"YOU DIRTY.." Sarah flared with anger. At which the goblin king cut her off with overturning his palm with which he held the crystal.

"Tut tut, language Sarah. I only offered them their dreams. Say, do you know what happens if I break the crystals?"

Sarah's anger turned to panic as he dangled the crystal from his overturned palm.

He knew he had her, he lazily juggled and dangled the crystal in his palm without so much as holding it. He noted Sarah's panic, "Do give me some credit Sarah. I don't make mistakes" He laughed.

"Let them go!" She cried out as she made out more of her students in the floating crystals. Breaking them might endanger them and from what she could see, most of her students were cornered by creatures, some of them worse for wear, bruised and injured. She could make out their terrified faces. She would have to free them somehow but she was only human, and magic. How do you undo the magic of a powerful Goblin King?.

She was desperate and willing to do anything to free them. The King knew that, it was after all what he had planned.

"They asked for it Precious, their imagination is dull but why would I refuse what makes them happy?"

"Do they look happy to you?" Sarah was furious.

"Do you have to be such a teacher that ruins the children's play? I thought classes hours are over." He shrugged, his voice even.

His Non-chalant attitude when her students were running amuck in terror in god knows what world all cause of him was starting to piss her off even more. Fear be damned, she couldn't reason with the creature. He was running their talk in circles and she had had enough of it.

"Listen her Goblin King! You will let my children go!" She took the wooden mop with both hands and snapped it into two over her knees.

His mouth turned o and then he became impassive. Clearly the woman was mad but such impudence, she'll have to pay. She will learn how to submit. He looked intently into her eyes and she stared back defiantly.

Her eyes were intense and her hair was a mess, half of them falling over and framing her face. Her white collared blouse with her plaited knee length green wrap skirt and her dainty feet covered in hideous gym shoes, one half of a broken mop on each hands by her side. She looked like a goddess.

He was livid and yet he couldn't help but notice how she had grown over the years. She was now a woman with curves of a goddess he felt flushed at that thought. He could feel the heat rise to his cheeks.

Not far from their confrontation, a figure other than the petrified Tony watched keenly at the standoff between a mortal woman and a goblin king in a very brightly lit pretty room. It didn't escape its notice though, the fact that the goblin king was blushing.

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**A/N this update took really long cause I had exams and I almost gave up on finishing this. I've been reading a lot and boy I need to really work on my writing. That aside, here's a chapter! Its not a very accurate one, but here it is. Maybe i'll re-edit and revise the whole thing if you guys like it i.e when I'm done with my projects. **


	8. Cinderella?

For moments they stood frozen in time, staring into each other's eyes; one with hatred and one with uncertainty. The Goblin King was feared among the realms both dark and light. He had faced many adversaries and won over most of them. His battles were sung and weaved into legends and all that were left of his enemies were ashes and dust. The King had never loved, His kind seldom do. They want, covet and possess the object of their desires and nothing would stand in their way.

Sarah was a mere mortal. A mortal born of flesh like any other, beautiful but he'd known ones even more gorgeous and striking among mortals and his kind alike, yet none had a hold of him like Sarah did. Was it because she bested him once as a mere girl or was it entirely something else? He knew she was one thing he couldn't have. And that drove him even more to possess her, that and the fact that his endearment towards her was a mystery.

He was the first to break off the stare, looking into her eyes was stimulating and pleasant but her malice and hatred towards him was seeping out. He had certainly stroked a chord with her, and it happened to be of loathing. He wasn't sure he liked being looked that way. The woman was clearly mad, much to his amusement and bewilderment; she had snapped a wooden staff over her knee. His ears were flush and he magicked a few spells underneath his cloak and made his hair conceal his ears lest Sarah notice how she affected him.

She was breathing hard and heavy, each breath taken with anticipation, and a challenge towards him. He was excited. Not only would he get what he wants but the challenge she put up to him appealed to the mischievous and playful side his. He grinned as he pulled a floating glass towards him.

"Sarah, Sarah, Sarah" He chanted as he juggled the glasses on his palm hypnotically.

Sarah squared her shoulders and waited for what he was going to say. She was going to bring him down. How so? She didn't know. She didn't have a working plan or even a plan for that matter but she wasn't going to let him win. She was adamant on wanting to save her students and even though she was a little scared she pushed it down further back into the depths of her soul by beating it with malice and hatred towards the Goblin King.

"The Children are now mine, you should know of the deals." He spoke juggling the glasses with her beloved students trapped in each of them.

Sarah's heart sank at the scene of him Juggling away with her students and was preparing herself to dive if needed to catch it supposed he dropped them. She clenched her teeth and her hands followed suit, tightening around the broken sticks that she now held.

"You tricked them didn't you?" She spoke through clenched teeth.

"It doesn't really matter how I enticed them, easy though it was. What matters is that they're in a contract with me now and I intend to let them keep their end of the deal."

The Goblin King was now inclined at his throne now. It had appeared out of nowhere and now he was inclined on it lazily. Sarah's eyebrow rose, where the throne came from and how he got into it in a blink she wasn't sure but she noted that he was a showy bastard.

"But you can let them out, you can free them." It was not a question but a statement.

"Quick as ever, precious." He gave her a smirk.

"Let them go Goblin King."

"And why should I do that? It's not… say, good for the business." He watched her as she fought to keep her frustrated emotions off her face. She couldn't hold on to malice or hatred for long, He noticed. He smiled resting his jaw over the knuckles of his non juggling hand.

"I was hoping it'll appeal to your more compassionate side." Sarah shot back. "Let. Them. Go."

His closed his eyes and opened them slowly. He was beautiful, he looked peaceful and arrogant and a piece of ass, Sarah kicked herself mentally for ever considering the monster attractive.

"Take off those shoes first." He said looking at her through lowered eyelids.

"Huh?" came the puzzled reply.

"Take off your shoes Sarah, they're ugly." Said he.

Sarah turned her head a little, unsure what was going on. She was wearing borrowed gym chucks since she had worn the wrong shoes to school. Did they offend the fashionable King? Sure he looked like the collective experiment of fashion designers who got a little over imaginative and added sparkles to everything in the 80's but the request was still odd.

She didn't move, puzzled at what was said and uncertain whether she heard him wrong. He lifted his head and said louder. "Do remove those hideous shoes and we can negotiate your children."

Sarah was stunned but she stooped slowly and lifted her foot and started to remove them. "Don't talk about my Children like they're deals." She muttered as she removed them. She was cautious about it. She had to let go of one of the halve of the mop to take off her shoes and all the while she wondered what he was upto and if he had some foot fetish. She shuddered at that thought.

Flicking the last pair on the floor she looked up at him. "Now talk."

He was watching her all the while as she removed her shoes, she was apprehensive and alert as she removed it, not looking away from him as she did it. Her feet were dainty and removing them as she did looked so intimate and he was getting impatient. He wanted her now. He got off his throne and sauntered towards her, he was going to take her. All he had to do was bind her to him.

Sarah was alarmed that he got off his high seat and was walking towards her. It only took him a few steps before he was right up in her face. Sarah's heart darted in panic and she clenched her fingers over the other halve of the mop that she hadn't let go of and was about to take a few steps back when he got on his knees.

Sarah took a step back when he from his cloak he brought out a shoe, the very shoe she threw at him. Here The Goblin King was kneeling before her and offering her assistance to put on a shoe. A shoe that she hadn't brought a pair to. She was puzzled.

"Uhm... What are you doing?" She asked the kneeling King before her.

"Would you make a King wait?" He replied pointedly, restraining himself. The sooner it was over the better. A King never kneels before anyone. "Sarah.. Put it on." He offered as he put the shoe closer to her feet still holding it.

Sarah Blinked. What was the harm? she thought, twas only a shoe. She nodded and lifted her foot. She remembered Cinderella as she was about to wear the shoe that The Goblin King had still held out for her when out of Nowhere a huge mass of green mossy ball hit her right in her side and threw her away.

She hit the wall violently and she let out a scream. Her body was thundering with the pain from the impact and she could hardly breathe. She took a few slow breaths and when she was sure she could handle the pain she opened her eyes and braced herself to get up from the floor. That was a damned dirty trick she thought, she was going to give him a piece of her mind. She gasped at the small prickles of pain as she struggled to get up. Something had hit her straight onto her left torso and knocked her off. Her Ribs may likely have broken if the pain was any indication. She lifted her head towards what hit her and she was met with the back of a hairy creature who was surprisingly defending her from an enraged Goblin King.

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**A/N Thanks for the wonderful and encouraging review guys :) I got this one out early and I'm already working out the next chapter.I had fun writing this one! Oh and note that Jareth blushing was the manly sort. Men blush don't they?. Do review! **


	9. An Unexpected Rescue

**A/N So I had exams and had to work things out slow. The story isn't edited and there are a lot of elements that I wasn't able to describe properly. If there are any questions about the story you can leave a message :) Thanks for all the favorites, follows and the wonderful reviews :D I hope you like this chapter. **

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The Goblin King was furious. It was as if the whole room temperature fell a few degrees further than that of the North Pole itself.

There was a lot of things the Goblin King didn't like; like children running around in disobedience, the songs or the stupor of the goblins when drunk, random damsels throwing a shoe at him to escape his clutches except Sarah. But, above all, the Goblin King didn't like interruptions. He loathed it when things don't go his way; seethed with anger when someone spills water over his carefully laid plans. And for someone who always has a plan B, he didn't take it so well.

He glared at the subject in front of him. The Huge ball of hairy mass was looking at him through wispy eyes. Anger coursing through his veins he unsheathed his claws. Usually the goblin king would interrogate a subject before dealing with it, play some games with t before doing away with it. However, the creature before him had done more than crossed off a few items on the list of what-not-to-do-to-anger-the-goblin-king. It had hurt Sarah, technically tossed her away and smashed her fragile body against a wall.

It was when he heard a small cry of pain from behind that hairy creature he felt a little relieved for she was still alive, and an unimaginable anger. The very sound of her cry made him see red and he was diving towards the creature with his claws when in literally a poof of wind it disappeared. And it so occurred to him that Sarah had disappeared too.

The Goblin king let out a frustrated snarl and clenched his clawed hands drawing blood. He had Lost Sarah yet again.

The Goblins surrounding the room watched in abject horror as their goblin king continued to mutilate his own hands. Some of them huddled together because the cold had started to spread.

"Ejernal wintwer." Mumbled one to his leathery faced friend, to which the other one closed his mouth with a "shhh…". Things weren't looking good for the Goblin race.

When Sarah opened her eyes, all she saw was orange fur surrounding her. She could feel the cold biting in on her nose and she buried herself deeper into the warm comforts of her fluffy bed when she felt her bed move.

The movement of her pseudo bed sent jolts of pain over her upper torso when the earlier events of the day hit her. The last of which she remembered was the hairy back of the creature. Sarah's eyes widened, "Ludo? Ludo?". She cried as she tried to wiggle herself free to gaze into the face of her beloved friend whom she thought she had lost.

But her excitement and nostalgia soon died down as she realised the creature she was embracing wasn't even remotely close to resembling her friend.

If she were to describe the creature in one word, it'd be a panda; A huge giant red panda with a fluffy orange tail. She looked into its face and was astonished by the humanity she could read in its face. She was further more astonished when it spoke with a crisp British accent. "Ah! The lady has awakened."

It slowly descended Sarah to the ground and she winced as she was let down.

"My apologies for hurting you milady, it was a desperate measure." Spoke the creature, yet again baffling her. As Sarah stared dumbly at her supposed rescuer it took the cue and bowed before her. "Forgive me my lady, I forget to introduce myself. I am Shahan Son of Asflhiem and prince of the druids and I come here to this realm to offer my services to the champion of the labyrinth, and princess of the earthly kingdom my lady."

A prince? Me a princess? Services? Druids? And a few more interrogative thoughts bubbled itself into a fizz within Sarah. She had more answers that she needed to find, "Hello, I'm Sarah Williams, daught…"

"I know who you are mi lady. Come, time is scare. You have questions I'm willing to answer but we must escape first." The panda interjected and motioned her to follow him.

..Daughter of Robert Williams, Protector of Toby and an astonishing teacher… Sarah finished in her head as she followed the movements of the suspicious panda prince before her.

"Desperate measure…? Explain that will you." Sarah asked pointedly as she felt her ribcage over her shirt and winced.

"The Goblin King is as cunning as cunning comes. Had you done what he wanted you to do, you'd be bound to him as his new bride. And we'd lose." Said Shahan solemnly as he further examined the walls surrounding them.

Sarah looked around the room they were in and recognised the room. It was the girls' washroom in the school. For a proclaiming prince, he sure was classy she thought sarcastically. And this fact confirmed that they were still

"Bound to him as a bride?" Sarah raised her brows in utter shock as the words sunk in. She knew the tricky bastard was up to something, and now that his intentions were lighting up she could only gawk at that.

"You must know you're a very attractive woman. The Goblin King likes women." Replied Shahan doubtfully.

For one with such tight ensemble of clothes and obsession with leather, most people would assume that His majesty swung for the other team. But here stood Sarah, his love, his unbeaten champion and the contradiction before the doubting Panda.

"That's not the answer I'm looking for." Said Sarah with a frown.

Shahan gathered his thoughts almost immediately and answered. "Wearing the shoe is ceremonial in most realms. It is supposed to portray the act of a woman agreeing to step into the man's threshold willingly. The Goblin King had somehow tricked you into agreeing to consent to your own binding. Had I not been there, you would've been betrothed to him."

It was a lot to take in for Sarah, she felt sick and frustrated. The Goblin King had more than a few tricks up his sleeves.

She sighed, "You have to be kidding me."

"I kid you not milady." Shahan replied.

"It was rhetorical." Sarah shot back. The annoying Panda was starting to pull her nerves.

Her concern for the almost betrothal was secondary, as her mind shifted towards the most important agenda, that is the safety of her students. Also, the creature before her, she couldn't figure out what to do with him as she looked at him with appraisal. She had questions to ask and children to rescue all the while when matching wits with a very cunning Goblin King.

"You'll tell me what you know prince Shahan." The best course of action now was to gather the intel and figure out the workings on the enemy.

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**A/n The Goblin King gets steamy in the next chapter! Do Read and Review guys!**


	10. Shivers and Near Kisses

"He doesn't like oranges"

"He knows several languages some of which are considered lost in several worlds."

"He doesn't really like fish, rather he goes for poultry and sheep."

"He likes food made out of processed cheese….

"Okay stop." Sarah stopped her pace and glared at her companion, they were halfway through the hallways leading to the Gym. Shahan had transported them to the far end of the school and they were walking towards the closest office with a telephone, unsure of what to do. "When I asked you to tell me more about the Goblin King I didn't mean his dining details or his vast knowledge of unearthly languages."

Shahan, the red panda stopped mid track and looked at her stunned. "Does all the intel I've gathered not please you, my fair lady?".

Intel? Right… Scoffed Sarah inwardly, She was starting to doubt the competence of the self-proclaimed panda prince. He was not very perceptive, granted she taught high school kids with pre-pubescent teenagers who at times were keen to show signs of intelligence of that of a hibernating banana. _Hibernating Banana_ snorted Sarah again at her own ridiculous train of thoughts.. At her unladylike behavior, Shahan seemed to show some disapproval.

"Look, Prince.. Your high…" Sarah paused unsure how to address her royal companion. To which, prince Shahan interjected. "Just Shahan will do just fine, my lady."

"Yes, Shahan.. Just call me Sarah." She offered with a small smile, " I'm not sure why the Goblin king is after me, be it revenge or some petty issues with me winning over him, but you must know I have responsibilities; lives I have to protect. You understand that don't you?"

Shahan nodded his head solemnly and Sarah continued. "I need to rescue my children, those lives I have a responsibility for. And to do that I need to get by the Goblin King's schemes, I can only do so if I have enough information to get an upper hand. A small advantage, anything will do." Sarah looked at him expectantly and Shahan appeared to furrow his brows in deep thoughts.

"The key is you." Shahan said looking right at her. Sarah took a step back clearly disconcerted by what was said. Sarah was sure the Panda had some information regarding whatever in hell was going on with her, and she expected the panda to enlighten her on the situation and possibly help her uncover clues to all the mysteries that were thrust upon her but with what he just said, Sarah wasn't really favoring the way this was going.

"What exactly.. Does it imply what I think it implies?." Sarah frowned, and then it happened.

Shahan was about to answer when the cold set in. It was more like a blast, all the heat diffused and disappeared in an instant and the air turned frigid cold. Shivers ran through Sarah's body as the cold encapsulated them. The Cold brought upon the forgotten bruise on her torso to act up and Sarah winced at the sharp stabbing pain that once again started to throb. Shahan was alarmed, he released a small whimper as the cold crept upon him.

"Lady Sarah! This way quick, he's near." Shahan's voice rose in panic as he waved his hand in a gesture asking her to follow him.

Sarah staggered but kept up her pace as they headed towards a turning, to exit from the hallways. Shahan was undeniably scared, Sarah noticed as his demeanor became more terse and harried. All his princely gallantry couldn't measure up to an ice cold Goblin King, that did not imply she herself wasn't scared though. Sarah wanted to stir up her courage, she prayed that even the smallest spark of her spirit would light up. But the cold had dampened everything, her body felt weak and frail and her aching ribs were killing her.

She felt weak but she had to escape, she couldn't face another impasse with a Goblin King. What would it be? The third time today? She thought wryly as she took another step ahead. All thoughts of evasion left her as she stood face to face with the Goblin King. Sarah gasped.

He materialized before her and his face was inches away from hers, Sarah could read his face as clear as day, and his perfectly sculptured face looked emotionless as he stared intently at her eyes as she did his.

"My my, Sarah we keep on encountering each other at every turn. One would say this was fated." He spoke humorlessly.

Sarah could only stare, she studied his cruel face and found no giveaway of humor or jest as he was usually wont to do.

"Tongue tied, My Sarah?" He asked with a dangerous tilt of his head. He brought his face closer and instinctively Sarah backed away, he moved in closer with every step she took backward and then he trust his arm blocking Sarah's exit. Sarah avoided his arm and maneuvered away from his touch, but soon realized it was a mistake as she found herself completely backed into the wall.

The Goblin King didn't take a moment long to entrap her within his confines as he put both hands on the wall on either side of Sarah preventing her from escaping. Sarah stiffened her back and dared to continue looking at him straight in his eyes, unable to speak yet still taunting him to do his worst however scared she was. The Goblin King still didn't give away any emotion as he continued to peruse her face, then he lifted his head up and took a whiff of the air, taking in Sarah's scent in as her small body stiffened at his conduct.

"Let.. me Go.." Sarah said weakly. Her body shivered with the cold and her injuries weren't any kinder to her. She was tempted to just close her eyes and will everything that happened today away.

The Goblin King at the sound of her small voice snapped from his ecstasy, he had never been so content with a hunt before. He looked at her shivering frame and let his eyes hover over to her Ribs, his right hand followed his gaze as he gently without touching her hovered his hand pat her shoulders, her chest and stopped right above her injured ribs.

Sarah could feel her breath hitching with every movement he made, and as he hovered his hand over her body she noticed that he lowered his eyelashes. He looked as serene and as beautiful as the day he appeared before her professing his love or rather demanding hers. He suddenly moved his face closer to her and she could feel his breath on her skin, his lips were a hairs breath away from hers as he commanded her attention to him, "Sarah…" He purred. As he spoke Sarah was well aware of the proximity that she didn't dare move, lest she touch him involuntarily.

"Must you evade me always?" He spoke, as he beheld her through his lowered lashes.

Sarah squirmed, and tried to shift her body. "Don't move princess." He commanded as he murmured something. The cold around her was gone and Sarah could feel the warmth seeping through her body. Sarah tried to move again once the cold dissipated from her body but found that her ribs were still hurting as before. She groaned, the Goblin King while he was spreading his warmth could've magiked her injuries to heal thought she bitterly.

The Goblin King wasn't amused at her whining as she moved. He stared icily at her and Sarah contemplated to maybe stop moving just to not be on the receiving end of his icy stare.

"Tell me you're mine and I'll take away your pain." He rasped gently, removing his hand from over her torso and positioning it on the walls besides her.

So that's what it was, Sarah thought. The Goblin King will only heal me if he gets what he wants. "No, I'd rather be pierced by a thousand needles." She baited curtly.

"You will be mine Sarah." He responded matter of factly, his face still hovering about her face. "Whether you agree now or not doesn't matter, you will." He gritted through his teeth.

"Never." Sarah breathed out harshly causing a smirk to break out on the Goblin King's impassable face.

"Let's play a game and decide." He smirked again.

"I won't play any games with you, I'm not Fifteen anymore." Retorted Sarah. And then remembering her priorities added, "give me back my children."

"I can see you've grown quiet well," He grinned wider. "The children, Oh but they're already a part of the game that we're both partaking in Sa-rah."

Sarah swallowed as she took what the Goblin King was saying.

"..And I don't intend to lose." He whispered in her ear.

"I won before, I'll win again." Sarah cried desperately through clenched teeth.

"Oh but will you? You had friends then, right now you have none." He spoke cynically. Immediately Sarah's mind thought of her new friend Shahan, where was he?

"And If you're considering the creature that bruised you as an ally…" He chuckled. " I should warn you to reconsider." He then let down both his arms from the walls and leaned in closer to her, his lips hovering over hers as Sarah clenched her eyes shut waiting for the worst to happen.

The Goblin king simply smirked at the rigid Sarah and added ".. I'll see you soon Sarah mine.."

Sarah waited for a few moments and when the Goblin King Said nothing more opened her eyes and released the breath she didn't know she was holding. The Goblin King had disappeared altogether. Her heart raced on and she gathered herself.. recovering from the effects of being in close proximity with The Devilish King.

"Lady Sarah!" Shahan called out in a low voice rushing towards her. "I turned back and you weren't there. Are you alright? We have to evade him now, let's Go."

Sarah, with the words that the Goblin King said still ringing in her ears furrowed her brows towards the fussing Shahan and asked. "You didn't see him?"

"Not yet, But I'm afraid if we keep still any longer we will." He Scurried trying to help her on her feet.

Sarah paused.. "Shahan.. Tell me exactly why you're here? Why are you helping me?"

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**A/N Ahhhhhh.. This chapter was a huge pain in the ass. Enjoy! Atop me if the story's turning too predictable and cliche'd.**


	11. Requesting a Heroine

Sarah was a big girl now, pushing into her twenties, more like ploughing through her twenties but point being she was a big girl now. She was old enough; experienced enough to know that the world did not simply work the way it did when she was fifteen. Now, she could look at the world from a new perspective. And in this world shaded with black and white and tons of shades of grey, kindness and compassion without conditions were hard to come by. Everybody and anybody probably had an agenda up their sleeves when they offer you help, and for over something as big as trying to escape the Goblin King and probably facing him in battle risking your life; things weren't quite adding up with Shahan.

Fueled by the suspicions implanted by the smug mythical royal she was up against, she stared down at Shahan rather suspiciously. Given the furry giant could probably wipe her out nice and clean if her stinging ribs were any indication, she waited for his answer whilst taking a few cautious step back.

"Why are you helping me? What for?" Sarah asked again.

"What do you mean?" Shahan asked puzzled.

Sarah gave him the well-practiced look that was given to students who refused to supply a better answer, that smoldering look would compel students to enunciate the details of the contents of their lunch from a week ago when asked what they had for dinner last night. It worked with students who would refuse to utter more than an 'um'. Even Shahan proved to falter under the look as he started blubbering out.

"Our land, Asflhiem is another realm. Travel between the worlds are governed by rules. There are only a few sentient beings that can bend the rules as they wish. In our realms they are considered no lesser than gods; gods who are less benevolent. They are difficult to defeat in battle, though not an impossible task; it is a tedious one."

"The Goblin King. A god? Go on…"

"Our elders, my esteemed father made the mistake of calling upon these beings in their desperation. The one who answered wasn't who we were hoping for. Help was offered for a heavy price. Our ancestral treasure and I've been sent to retrieve it."

"Retrieve, you mean steal back the treasure?" Sarah Frowned.

"Not exactly, we require to win it back or trade it. The goblin king will not trade it for anything we have to offer. However, I believe It could be won back."

"Is this where I come into the equation?"

"Forgive me my lady Sarah," Shahan got down on his knees. " I learnt about your existence through the stories and legends as a child. You who stood as an equal against the Goblin king himself and defeated him with mere words. I came here to seek your help, but I found out you were quite in danger yourself. I removed you from the king's presence to seek a way to help you and then gain your favour."

"Legend? As a child?" Sarah's head was reeling, It hadn't been so long had it? Nine years tops. But Whatever Shahan just said was ridiculous, She wanted to write him a prescription to meet a good therapist as she was told, strike that; maybe she'll go to the therapist herself. But then things weren't always what they seemed and Shahan was a big furry bear.

"So.." Sarah spoke again with conviction. "Let me get this straight, His Royal pain in the ass took away your people's treasure and you want to retrieve it by winning against him in battle. A battle where you're going to put me up against him?"

"You my lady, have been the only champion against him." Shahan looked at her solemnly "You have abilities and value we do not possess, and we choose you to help us." Sarah could've sworn his eyes drifted towards her chest when he said value, but she ignored it.

"What if I don't want to fight? What if all I want is everything to go away? I just want my students safe and this" Sarah gestured all around with her hands "to go back to being any ordinary day?"

"Lady Sarah, we require your help. With our relic in his hands he can travel through realms without having to adhere to any rule, who knows what he can do. Removing it from his possession will likely remove him from your world as well. And your children will be safer." Shahan was firm in his resolve yet his eyes betrayed a certain pleading, Sarah looked away.

"This is madness, I can't possibly agree to this." Sarah let out a sigh.

"I, Shahan swear to protect you through this trial and will be at your disposition." Shahan bowed low his head down to the ground.

Sarah walked to him and raised his head to her, "You need to answer some more questions, however it's not safe here. I bet he's listening on us, let us be on our feet. We'll need to think of something."

"So.." Shahan looked hopefully at her. Will Sarah agree to his proposition? Was this a yes?

"I'm not going to make any promises, but if this is how I'm getting my children back then I'm not taking any chances." Sarah grinned and let a hand out for Shahan and helped him up on his feet.

Shahan was visibly moved as tears streamed down his left eye. Sarah handed him her scarf and led him towards the gym. Noting her companion's odd display of emotion Sarah teased "Does your kind cry with just one eye?"

Shahan said nothing. Feeling awkward, Sarah kicked herself mentally, being a teacher she should be wary of sensitive topics. "So…" Sarah laughed awkwardly, "..What desperate times had befallen your people that they had to call upon him?" Sarah was bitter as she let out the last word.

"A great war, our enemies ravaged our lands and our people, we had lost all hope. The enemies were at our doors." Shahan replied.

"So how did he change the tide, Did he magic them away and turn them into goblins? Maybe he did a number." Sarah snorted." I'm guessing he turned back time." Old tricks, nothing new.

The silence that followed made Sarah stop and turn towards Shahan, who looked shaken as he recollected a dark memory. Finally he spoke with a shudder in his voice "He annihilated them all, alone. Not one left alive; none identifiable." Dark shadows flitted on his face as he resumed his dark tale "He wasn't kind to any of them, A blink was all it took for him to grant our request. The blood stained our city for a fortnight. Our people mourned the mark of death which touched our lands, those lives be it foe or friend. There was little joy in our victory."

"In a blink…?" Sarah blinked disbelievingly. Her spirits that had once risen with Shahan agreeing to help her free her students deteriorated rapidly and was now history. And he expected her to fight the goblin king?!

Not really far away a chuckle escaped a rather frivolous being.

"Oh yes Sarah, Don't back down now," The goblin king leaned over his throne and twirled his crystals around. The exchange between Sarah and that creature wasn't missed by him. His lips curled into a smile, victory was imminent.

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**A/N happy new year! I'm back! Finally got through my writer's block. If my college life doesn't get in the way, expect more frequent updates. Read and Review~**

**Writing tips, grammatical error point outs will be appreciated. :)**


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